Rack mounting means



Sept. 30,1947a s. T. HANDEL RACK MOUNTING MEANS Filed Sept. 24, 1945 2 Sheets- Sheet 1V Enrl ATTORNEY Sept. 30, 1947.

s. T. HANDEL RACK MOUNTING MEANS 2 Sheds-sheet' 2 Filed Sept. '24, 1945 lNvl-:NTOR` Ey r. HANDEL y. ,STA/v BYv WZ ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 30, 1947 ARME UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RACK MOUNTING MEANS Stanley T. Handel, Essex, Conn.

Application September 24, 1945, Serial No. 618,231

(Cl. 2li- 87) 6 Claims. 1 This invention relates to new and improved rack devices for hanging clothing, clothing accessories, kitchen devices, tools and the like.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide rack devices adapted for attachment to a door or in any analogous position and capable of great versatility of use.

Another object is to provide such devices in the form of a rod member adapted for attachment to a door, wall or the like and provided with means for mounting any of a variety of individual hardware units such, for example, as hooks, shoe racks, necktie racks, hat racks and the like.

A further object is to provide a plurality of rod members as outlined above and adapted for interlocking engagement with each other to afford a multiplicity of rack means.

A still further object is to provide novel hanger and hook elements particularly designed for use in the practice of the invention.

Additional objects and advantages will in part -appear and in part be pointed out in the course of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention, which are given as nonlimiting examples, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View in perspective illustrating an application of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged and partially exploded view in perspective illustrating in detail the construction of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1;

' Figure 3 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2 but showing the parts in assembled position; and

Figure 4 is a view in section taken substantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 but showing the parts in assembled position.

The present invention has for one objective the provision of means for utilizing as completely as possible the storage area afforded by the back of a door such as a closet door, and in Fig. yll, door l Il is shown as provided with a set of rack devices embodying a form of the invention. Door I has secured thereto as by screws I2 two pairs of vertical rod members I4 which serve as mounts for a plurality of similar horizontal rod members I5. Each 4of rod members I5 has secured thereto one or more individual hardware units including hook I6, mirror I8, a drawer device 20, hat rack 22, tie rack 24 and a plurality of shoe racks 25 and '26. The construction of rod members I4 and I5 and the mounting means for the individual units are shown in detail in Figs. 2 4.

In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention,

2 all of rods I4 and I5 are identical and are made of light steel or other suitably rigid metal. Each of said rods comprises two outer iiange portions 30 and a central portion 32 raised with respect to the plane of flanges 3l), as is shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. Spaced along rod portions 32 are a plurality of pairs of complementary tab members 33 struck up from the body of the rod. As is shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, each pair of tabs 33 is so designed that flanges 3B of another rod will just engage therein. Thus as shown in Fig. 1, the tabs on vertical rods I4 provide the mounting means for horizontal rods l5.

The tabs 33 on horizontal rods I5 serve for mounting the individual hanger or otherunits. For example, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 hook I6 has secured thereto as by spot-welding a shieldlike element 35 of substantially the same width as rods I4 and I5 and hence adapted to engage within any pair of tabs 33. At the upper edge thereof shield 34 is provided with a short, rearwardly extending lip 35 adapted to engage the edge of rod portion 32 and thus hold shield 3l! within tabs 33. It has also been found desirable to provide tabs 33 with inwardly struck dimples 36 Iwhich are adapted to engage complementary apertures 38 in shield 34 and thus provide a iurther locking action. This construction has the further advantage that if it is desired to use any of the individual units alone without rods M and I5, it may be mounted on any wooden support by means of screws engaging Within apertures 33. For this reason lip 35 is made sufliciently short to prevent interference with such separate mounting of shield 34.

Many advantages of the above embodiment of the invention will now be apparent. It provides for a Wide variation of individual hardware units and makes possible their rearrangement with a maximum of ease. Each of elements I8, Zil, 22, 24 and 25 is provided with one or more shield elements 34 depending upon its size and shape, and each may be Vshifted to any desired position on door I0 by simply moving it to another pair or pairs of tabs 33. For example drawer device 2d may conveniently be used to contain toilet articles utilized in connection with mirror I8. Shoe which pivots in bracket I4 secured in any desired l Nvay to one of mounting shields 3d. It will be noted that the upper arm of bracket i4 is preferably somewhat channeled in order to urge arm 42 into a position perpendicular to door Ill Whilestill permitting pivotal movement thereof. It is proposed that racks 25 be utilized in pairs with the shoes mounted thereon positioned with their soles in contact. Shoe racks 26 are particularly designed for mens shoes and each accordingly comprises two side rods 45, a cross rod 46 adapted to engage under the heel of the shoes and cross rod 48 adapted to support the toes of the shoes. It will also be noted that rods 46 and 48 are preferably slightly bowed at 50 to provide means for maintaining the shoes supported thereon in spaced relation,

It is to be understood that the various hard- Ware units shown in Fig. l are given merely as illustrative of the variety of individual units made available by the invention and not as in any way limiting the scope thereof. For example, the invention is particularly adapted for the provision of racks for kitchen utensils, for tools, and for a variety of analogous uses, and such varied uses require only modication of the individual hanger units. It should also be noted that in addition to single units as mentioned above, one or more of the rods of the invention may be mounted horizontally lby means of screws Without vertical supporting rods, and screw holes 52 are accordingly provided along each. rod. Many other changes in the specific constructions described above will doubtless be apparent to those skilled in the art and are to be un-derstood as coming within the scope of the invention. It is accordingly intended that all matter contained in the above descriptions or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following `claims are intended to cover all the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described ycomprising, in combination, an elongated supporting rod comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side flanges and a central portion raised with respect to the plane of said langes and substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of tab members struck out in spaced relation along said central rod portion, each of said pairs of tab members being arranged in face-to-face relation and together denning a slot disposed transversely with respect to the length of said rod, a shield element for supporting an element to be mounted on said rod, said shield element being adapted to engage in said slots, and means providing a rear- Wardly projecting lip portion adjacent the upper edge of said shield element, said lip portion being adapted to engage the upper edge of said central rod portion and thereby to retain said shield element within said slot.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, an elongated supporting rod comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side flanges and a central portion raised with respect to the plane of said anges and substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of tab members struck out in spaced relation along said central rod portion, said tab members in each of said pairs facing each other in spaced relation and thereby together defining a slot extending transversely with respect to the length of said rod and open at both ends and the center thereof, a shield element for supporting an element to be mounted on said rod, said shield element being adapted to engage in said slots, and means projecting inwardly from each of said tab members adapted to engage said shield element and thereby to retain the same in said slot.

3. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, an elongated supporting rod comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side flanges and a central portion raised with respect to the plane of said iianges and substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of tab members struck out in spaced relation along said central rod portion, said tab members in each of said pairs facing each other in spaced relation and thereby together defining a slot extending transversely with respect to the length of said rod and open at both ends and the center thereof, -the width of each of said slots being substantially equal to the Width of said rod, a shield element for supporting an element to be mounted on said rod, said shield element being adapted to engage in said slots, dimple means extending inwardly from each of said tab members, and means providing complementary apertures in said shield element, said dimple means engaging in said apertures and thereby releasably securing said shield element within said slot.

4. A device of the character described comp-rising, in combination, at least three elongated rod members each comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side flanges and a central portion raised with respect to the plane of said flanges and substantially parallel thereto, avplurality of pairs of tab portions struck out Valong vsaid central portion of each of said rods, said tab members in ench of said pairs facing each other in spaced relation and thereby together defining a slot extending transversely with respect to the length of said rod and open at both ends and the center thereof, the 'width of each of said slots being substantially equal to the Width of said rod, the distance between said tab members in each of said pairs being substantially equal to the width of said central rod portion, and means mounting two of said rods substantially vertically, said third rod engaging in one of said slots in each of said vertical rods and being supported thereby in substantially horizontal position.

5. A device of the character described comprising, in combination, at least three elongated rod members each comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side anges and a, central portion raised with respect to the plane of said flanges and substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of tab portions struck out along said central portion of each of said rods, said tab members in each of said pairs facing each other in spaced relation and thereby together dening a slot extending transversely with respect to the length of said rod and open at both ends and the center thereof, the width of each of said slots being substantially equal to the width of said rod, the distance between said tab members in each of said pairs being substantially equal to the width of said central rod portion, means mounting two of said rods substantially vertically, said third rod engaging in one of said slots in each of said vertical rods and being supported .thereby in substantially horizontal position, at least one hanger element, means mounting said element on said horizontal rod, said mounting means comprising a shield element of substantially the same Width as said rod secured to said hanger element and engaging in one of said slots in said horizontal rod, and means providing a, rearwardly projecting lip portion adjacent the upper edge of said shield element, said lip portion engaging the upper edge of said central portion of said horizontal rod.

6, A device of the character described comprising, in combination, at least three elongated rod members each comprising a pair of substantially coplanar side anges and a central portion raised with respect to the plane of said flanges and substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of tab portions struck out along said central portion of each of said rods, said tab members in each of said pairs facing each other in spaced relation and thereby together defining a slot extending transversely With respect to the length of said rod and open at both ends and the center thereof, the Width of each of said slots being substantially equal to the width of said rod, the distance between said tab members in each of said pairs being substantially equal to the width of said central rod portion, means mounting two of said rods substantially vertically, said third rod engaging in one of said slots in each of said verledge of said central portion of said horizontal rod, dimple means extending inwardly from each of said tab members, and means providing complementary apertures in said shield element, said dimple means engaging in said apertures and thereby releasably securing said shield element Within said slot.

STANLEY T. HANDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,228,062 `Scofield May 29, 1917 1,378,921 Van I-Iove May 24, 1921 1,728,603 Gates Sept. 17, 1929 1,848,937 Coventry Mar. 8, 1932 698,272 Glover Apr. 22, 1902 2,226,763

Geib et al Dec. 21, 1940 

